Coyotes’ rookie Jordan Szwarz happy to get first NHL goal early

The Phoenix Coyotes had an impressive comeback win over the Nashville Predators Thursday. It was particularly special for rookie forward Jordan Szwarz, who scored his first career NHL goal.

The 22-year-old right winger, who was called up from the Portland Pirates on October 28th, ignited the Coyotes’ rally in just his second NHL game.

“It’s a great feeling,” Szwarz said. “To get one under my belt early is awesome. [Zbynek Michalek] gave a great pass to me there. I had the mindset of just getting the puck on the net. I saw my teammates going to the net there and fortunately I got a good bounce and it went in.”

While the goal would’ve been sweet regardless of the game’s outcome, the team’s comeback made it much easier for Szwarz to celebrate the milestone.

“It would’ve been tough if we lost that game, but we had a great character win for the guys,” Szwarz said.

It’s unknown how long Szwarz’s stint with the team will last, but he said he’s not going to waste any time while he’s here.

“I don’t make the decision on when I go down, I’m just going to go out there and when I get on the ice, I’m going to make the best of the opportunity.”